Working toward self-determination for the West Papuan people

Re-open past cases of gross human rights violations in West Papua

August 19, 2014

Received Yan Christian Warinussy, Executive-Director of the
LP3BH-Manokwari, 18 August 2014

The Institute for Research, Study and Development of Legal Aid
(LP3BH-Manokwari) has urged the National Human Rights Commission
[KOMNAS HAM] to re-open and re-investigate cases of gross human rights
violations that occurred in the island of Biak on 6 June 1998 and the
genocidal violations that occurred in the Central Highlands from 1977
to 1978 (which are known as the Neglected Genocide).

As a civil society organisation that focusses on Law Enforcement
and the defence of basic human rights in the Land of Papua, the
LP3BH-Manokwari undertook an analysis of the report produced by
ELS-HAM, the Institute for the Study and Advocacy of Human
Rights-Papua which was entitled ‘Nama Tanpa Pusara, Pusara Without
Names, [pusara is a cemetery] July 1999.

Following a survey undertaken by KOMNAS HAM of the Bloody Biak
Case in 2003, there was no recommendation for this case of Gross Human
Rights Violations to be thoroughly investigated.

Based on the findings of ELS-HAM Papua of an attack on Filep Karma
and his colleagues on 6 June 1998 when eight people were killed, three
people disappeared while four were seriously injured (and subsequently
taken to Makassar for medical treatment) while 33 others were less
seriously injured. Fifty people were arrested. Later, 32 bodies were
found in Padaido Island and the eastern region of Biak Island.

In the Central Highlands, during 1977 and 1978, according to data
collected by the Asian Human Rights Commission, 4,146 Indigenous
Papuans were killed during a series of military operations in the
area.

Data subsequently revealed that 620 people were killed in the
District of Bolakme, 777 were killed in Ibele, 62 people were killed
in Central Ibele, 241 were killed in Iluga, 579 people were killed in
Kobakma, 143 people were killed in Makki. 50 people were killed in
Napua, 56 people were killed in Paniai, 138 people were killed in
Pirime, 334 people were killed in Tagime, 835 people were killed in
Wosilimo , 187 people were killed in Jayawijaya, 665 people were
killed in Yalenga, 8 people were killed in Hetegima and 117 people
were killed in Kurulu.

According to LP3BH-Manokwari, the report of the AHRC said that
what happened in the Central Highlands amounted to a case of genocide,
and it was the task of the National Human Rights Commission to conduct
an investigation for legal proceedings to proceed in accordance with
the provisions of Law 26/2000 on Human Rights Courts.

We also call on the leadership of the Christian Evangelical Church
(GKI) to support the call for these cases to be re-opened, bearing in
mind that the vast majority of the victims were members of the GKI.

The GKI and other Christian churches should not remain silent
about these cases and should call for an investigation into the crimes
against humanity that have been committed by the Indonesian Army and
Police Force during military operations undertaken in the Land of
Papua for the past fifty years.